jumping up at house guests

Whenever anybody comes to the house my dogs jump up in a really excited frenzy it was cute at first when they were small puppies but now sheens a couple of weeks away from one and ivy around 6 weeks behind its too much now we were told they'd grow out of it as they matured but its pretty apparent now that's not the case... alot of people say there staffy's do this but surely it can be avoided ? i shout down pull them by there collars but there's just no getting through to them when there that excited  ive also been told just to give them a slight knee in the chest to push them away but lets be fair people arnt going to come to your house and start kneeing your dog and even if they shout down they don't listen because they don't see them as an authority figure.

any tips from your experiences you could help me with ? ino there just being friendly but its intimidating to some people  help needed!

Ahh.. dogs never grow out of jumping up  It is such a tough one as it's such a rewarding behaviour for them! When I first had Biscuit it was just me and her so was much easier to reinforce, but now that we live in a busier household she's gotten a bit OTT again. She never does it to me because I just say "down" and turn away when she does, meaning she gets nothing from it. However many people's instinctive reaction is to fuss them when they jump up.

They key is consistency.. they need to be rewarded for having four feet on the floor, as opposed to rewarded for jumping up. I would explain to anybody that interacts with the dog, guests and house members, that they are in training, and are to be ignored and turned away from when they jump up. As soon as they have all feet on the floor, and timing is key, give them lots of praise and fuss, and even a few treats initially just to show how happy you are that they're not jumping up! The treats can be phased out after a little while. I also use commands "down" whilst i'm turning away, and "sit" if she's mega excited followed by reward! But unless everybody does it, every time it's just not going to work. My OH still strokes Biscuit when she jumps up absent mindedly.. and she of course still bombards him as soon as he walks in the door!!

Great advice from Rachel, have a read through the link hopefully it help, Time patience and persistence are key.

http://staffy-bull-terrier.com/how_to_stop_your_staffie_jumping_up

I was told to put them on a lead and get them to sit so you have control of them..Also let the kids play and run about and you keep the dog sat on his lead to try to show him to stay calm no matter what.. But I must say it dont work lol

Charlie is a nightmare with people coming in! I keep him on a collar held close in clear view of the door so he can see the people coming in, I'll walk to wards them and if he raises a foot to jump I turn around and walk behind a corner and allow him to relax, I sit down and stroke him calmly. When he's calm I hold him close and walk towards them again, if he goes to jump it's back to chill out time; if he doesn't jump I get him to sit. If he sits, great, he'll get a treat and some fuss he's so desperate for! If at any time he stands up unless we're walking into the living room I walk back behind the corner to calm him down. When going into the room with people if he pulls on his lead and is all excitable I go back out and walk back in, if he stays by side he gets a treat and we go in and sit down. He gradually meets the people, but ONLY if he's sitting. As he's having fuss he's getting treats and lots of "good boy!"'s. I walk around the room with him allowing him to see the people, out the room and back in, if he's good then I drop his lead, when I'm certain he won't go crazy (he pins people on the sofa no matter what for kisses) I let him off, I tell him no when I see him gettin worked up and call him back to sit by me and treat him! It takes a lot of time and effort but it's really helped Charlie. We don't allow any sort of jumping up anyone (even me when I get back home) If the guests are there to see you I understand not everyone has the time, in that sense I'm lucky as when family come round they understand the issues hope this helped xx

Such great advice above ... do note though, no matter which training method you use though, lots of time and consistency are the only things that will make it work. (For all their lives they've been told, through pats and attention, that jumping up IS okay ... they therefore have no idea why you get upset when they do it now, and will need time to learn the new rule).

Ensuring you use a firm but calm voice (shouting will only wind every fur baby and human up further) and that your friends and family employ the same methods you use everytime they visit will help the process along

Hi, we've struggled and still do to a certain extent with this with our Tash who is now 17 months. What we did/do is get us and everyone else to completely ignore her if she jumps up and wait till she has all 4 paws on the ground. We also have a boomer ball which she loves and she has now taken to getting this out as soon as guests come round, it means that the guests can play with her and she seems to recognise that when this is out she's not allowed to jump up guests. On the odd time she forgets she gets sent to her basket, she goes in and comes straight back out but seems to understand that jumping up is not allowed.

All dogs are different though, they're just such excitable dogs and love attention and licking faces and biting ears.